1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing fluid material. More particularly, the present invention pertains to apparatus for dispensing fluids from one or more sources by introducing such fluids in small quantities into a primary fluid flow. The fluids to be dispensed are thus mixed with and carried by the fluid of the primary fluid flow. The mixture may then be sprayed, for example, thus distributing a selected concentration of the fluid to be dispensed along with the greater quantity of the fluid originally in the primary fluid flow.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
The concept of dispensing a material in relatively small concentrations by introducing the material in small quantities into a primary fluid flow is well known. Currently, small cakes, or other solid forms of material to be so dispensed, may be placed in a housing in line with the water flow in a garden hose. As the water flows by the solid material, small quantities of the solid are picked up by the water stream, and are carried off with the water and thereafter ejected from the nozzle of the garden hose. In this way, a relatively low concentration of soap, for example, mixed with water may be sprayed for use in washing a large area, such as an automobile or a house. Other solid materials such as wax, herbicides, or fertilizer, may also be so dispensed. A variation of this technique includes placing the material to be dispensed in a housing adjacent the conduit carrying the water flow, and selectively permitting a small amount of water to be circulated through the housing. While in the housing, this small quantity of water dissolves a portion of the solid material to be dispensed, and carries off the dissolved solid material and introduces it back into the main water flow. With devices of this type, it is a relatively simple matter to interrupt the diversion of water into the housing in order to cease dispensing the solid material with the main water flow. Such apparatus may be incorporated into the plumbing of an ordinary shower.
When the material to be dispensed is in the form of a fluid, the mechanism of an aspirator may be employed to introduce the fluid to be dispensed into the primary fluid flow, or carrier. It is well known that the pressure along a flow of incompressible fluid decreases as the velocity of the flow increases. Bernoulli's equation describes this effect. By establishing a sufficiently fast primary fluid flow, fluid from an adjacent source may be propelled by the pressure of the atmosphere into the primary fluid flow at the point of low pressure therein. Thus, a rapid stream of air picks up and carries off perfume vapor in the case of a perfume aspirator bottle. Similarly, water passing along a garden hose carries off liquid soap, etc., introduced into the garden hose water flow from an adjacent bottle. In both of these examples of aspirator techniques, the cross-sectional area of the primary fluid flow may be reduced, as in a Venturi tube, at the point the fluid to be dispensed is introduced into the primary fluid flow, to ensure having a sufficiently high fluid velocity, and, consequently, a sufficiently low pressure, at that point.
It will be appreciated that a fluid-tight connection must be maintained between the container providing the fluid to be dispensed and the conduit carrying the primary fluid flow in order for the pressure of the atmosphere to effectively propel the fluid to be dispensed into the primary fluid flow in the aspirator devices. Indeed, such dispensing of fluids may be interrupted by opening the conduit to the atmosphere at the point where the fluid to be dispensed is introduced into the primary fluid flow. Consequently, practical and efficient devices, using the aspirator technique for dispensing fluids, are not readily available whereby a plurality of fluids to be dispensed may be provided, with one or another of the fluids selected at will for dispensing.